Thursday, May 25, 2017

Robocalls flooding your cellphone? Here’s how to stop them!

Here's a great article that'll help stop telemarketer calls on your phone... There are apps and more you can use.

This is well-worth reading.

Robocalls flooding your cellphone?
Here’s how to stop them

By Christopher Mele, New York Times News Service

May 11, 2017

An unfamiliar number appears on your cellphone. It is from your area code, so you answer it, thinking it might be important.

There is an unnatural pause after you say hello, and what
follows is a recording telling you how you can reduce your credit card
interest rates or electric bill or prescription drug costs or any of a
number of other sales pitches.

Another day, another irritating robocall. If it feels as
if your cellphone has increasingly been flooded with them, you are
right.

Ryan Kalember, senior vice president of cybersecurity strategy at Proofpoint,
a cybersecurity company in Sunnyvale, California, said the volume of
robocalls has seen a “particularly big uptick” since the fall.

Alex Quilici, chief executive of YouMail, said his company estimated
that 2.3 billion calls were made in December 2016, up from 1.5 billion
in December 2015. The company said it extrapolates data from the calls
made each month to its users.

More than annoying, the calls can cross over into the
outright fraudulent. In one scheme, callers pretending to represent the
Internal Revenue Service claim the person answering the phone owes back
taxes and threatens them with legal action. The scheme has reaped more
than $54 million, the FCC said.

“If the robocalls were not valuable to the scammers, they wouldn’t be doing them,” Kalember said.

Here’s how you can fight them:

Rule No. 1

The most simple and effective remedy is to not answer numbers you don’t know, Quilici said.

“Just interacting with these calls is just generally a mistake,” he said.

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If you do answer, don’t respond to the invitation
to press a number to opt out. That will merely verify that yours is a
working number and make you a target for more calls, experts said.

Turn to the government

Quilici said the registry is helpful but should not be seen as a panacea.

“If I’m sitting in India dialing a million numbers, what
are the odds I’m even going to be fined for violating the Do Not Call
Registry?” he asked. “It’s probably near zero.”

Turn to technology

Download apps such as Truecaller, RoboKiller, Mr. Number, Nomorobo and Hiya,
which will block the calls. YouMail will stop your phone from ringing
with calls from suspected robocallers and deliver a message that your
number is out of service.

Quilici said phone companies, such as T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T, also have tools to combat robocalls. They work by blocking calls from numbers known to be problematic.

Subscribers can choose robot personalities, such as
Whiskey Jack, who is frequently distracted by a game he is watching on
television, or Salty Sally, a frazzled mother.

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The robots string the callers along with vocal
fillers like “Uh-huh” and “OK, OK.” After several minutes, some will ask
the callers to repeat their sales pitch from the beginning, prompting
the telemarketers to have angry meltdowns, according to sample recordings posted on the company’s website.

Watch what you say (do NOT say "yes")

One recent scheme involves getting consumers to say “yes”
and later using a recording of the response to allow unauthorized
charges on the person’s credit card account, the FCC warned in March.

When the caller asks, “Can you hear me?” and the consumer
answers “yes,” the caller can gain a voice signature that can later be
used to authorize fraudulent charges by telephone.

Best to answer with “I can hear you,” Kalember said.

What’s ahead

The callers are evolving, Kalember said. Some have numbers
that appear to be from your area code (they result in higher response
rates); others employ “imitation of life” software in which the robocall
sounds like a live person, complete with coughing, laughing and
background noise. This artificial intelligence can be programmed to
interact in real time with a consumer.

A recording on the Consumers Union
website features an exchange in which a man tries to confirm he is
talking to a live person. As the call progresses, the consumer presses
for confirmation.

“Will you tell me you’re not a robot? Just say, ‘I’m not a
robot’ please,” he says, which is met with various programmed replies
of “I am a real person” and “There is a live person here.”

Why robocalls proliferate

Quilici compared robocalling to spam emails: It is all
about volume. Companies can use software to make millions of calls at
very little expense. They need only a few victims to fall prey to their
schemes to more than cover their costs.

“When you hear these guys do these scam pitches, they’re pretty amazing,” he said.

The next development will be integrated efforts combining
email, phone calls and social media to scheme money from consumers,
Kalember said, adding that the level of innovation “is really quite
astounding.”

Gift/Memorial Suggestions

Several of our friends have lost loved ones (human and pets) and we found that one of the best ways to honor their memory is to give to an animal charity. What better way to recognize a life of love, than by giving another life a chance for love? We donate to many animal rescues, but because we volunteer with DC Weimaraner Rescue and Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue, those are our 2 favorites. Consider giving the chance of life to a dog or cat.

Tom and Rob Thinking Hard!

Rob's latest books on Amazon.com

Book 2: Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead

Updated for 2016! Ghostly face on the cover!

Rob's 1st book Updated for 2016!

Ghosts and Spirits

Menagerie Monday

Franklin, Tyler and Dolly

The BEST England Tour Agent

If you're looking for the perfect tour agent to organize your vacation to England, you've got to go with "Across the Pond Vacations." Anne Marie Clarke put our trip together and found the most interesting and unique places for our interests (Tudor family history and ghosts). Go to: www.atpvacations.com

Rob's Fav Pic from Baltimore Comic-Con 2013

We met Brian Sims!

State Representative Brian K. Sims is a distinguished policy attorney and civil rights advocate from Center City Philadelphia

Taking a Rest

Franklin and Dolly take a rest on the Mass./Connecticut Border

Franklin Sends You a Happy Wink

"Check out our Dog Rescues Below"

Tracking Our Dog Rescue Assists

We work with Coast-to-Coast Dachshund Rescue and D.C. Weimaraner Rescues and Bonney Blue Rescue and foster or transport dogs as often as we can (and when they mix well with our 3 kids). Here's a list of the dogs we fostered or transported:Gracie - Transported - a Beagle Mix adopted in western MD2 Unnamed Dachshunds -Transported - rescued from a breeder (we watched for 3 days) sent on to permanent foster homesCooper#1 the Dachshund - Fostered - 2-26-09 -We fostered this lovable black and tan wire-haired, easy-going, lovable senior and he was Adopted by our friends Bob and Arlene in MD in April 2009Buddy the Weimaraner - Transport 9-27-09 - We transported Buddy from no. VA to White Marsh, MD where we met Buddy's new mom Cathy from Philly. Sprite the Dachshund -Fostered and We Adopted! 12-4-10 We picked up almost 14 yr old Sprite in Frederick, Md from a rescue transporter on 12-4-10 and we fostered him. We adopted Sprite in April 2011 when we learned of his heart murmur. (Sprite passed 7-8-13 at 16 1/2 years old)Chance the Weimaraner - Rescue from shelter and Fostered- 6-10-12 - We freed Chance from the PG County Animal Shelter, and fostered through DC Area Weim Rescue. We covered his hip surgery and fostered Chance, while helping him walk again. He was adopted by our friends Whitney and Mike in PA on 7-29-12Cooper#2 the Dachshund - Fostered 9-24-15 - We fostered this little guy and he was adopted by Shayne in MD after we had Cooper for just a couple of weeks.Tuck (mix) - 5-7-13 - Transported Huck for Bonnie Blue Rescue. He came from a CT shelter, and we picked hi up in Baltimore and brought him to his new dad and mom, our friends Jon & Erin in VATyler (Dachshund) - 12-17-12- FOSTERED & WE ADOPTED! We took in and fostered Tyler a 2 year old black and tan dachshund who came from a kill shelter in NC. Our friend Robert drove there and picked him up. (read the blog: First Night with Tyler the Foster from 12-17-12) - We realized how he bonded with our Weimaraner Dolly, so we adopted him in May 2013 through the rescue.Charlie (Dachshund)- Rescue from shelter and transported to foster mom April in Md. *April adopted Charlie!* Rocco(Dachshund puppy) -Rescue from shelter and transported, we brought to foster mom Kristin in Oct.Abu -(Dachshund mix) - Rescue from shelter and transported to Emily for foster home in Delaware in Oct. Doc, now Duncan(Dachshund mix)- Rescue from shelter and transported to Katie for fostering. Duncan was adopted. Reds - Rescue from shelter and transported - This long-haired, senior red Chihuahua to Katie for transport to a Senior dog rescue in VirginiaHappy and Sami- Transported from College Park, Md to Springfield, VA (Jan. 2013)Gus -Worked with at Rescue Event - April brought Gus to us to appear at an adoption event at Pet Value, Gambrills, Md. Max -Transported. Part of a transport from White Marsh, Md. to Bowie, Md. to foster mom April in southern Maryland.JJ - Transport to adopting family This tiny 8 pound dog was transported from Washington, D.C. to Towson, Md. where we did a home visit and completed the adoption to a great familyJethro- Home inspection for DASH Rescue to place this doxie/chihuahua mix.Grayson -Worked with at Rescue Event -Worked with this 12 yr old senior Weimaraner at the Pet Valu, Gambrills, md adoption event! Heath - Transported. 9-2014a 10 year old black/tan dachshund we fostered for 3 days (who wound up being afraid of men- and went to another foster home.

Mack- Fostered 10-2014 **Adopted in Dec. 2014!**fostered from Oct. 27 until he was adopted in Dec. from Connie and Poul.Saylor - transport 12-14-14 (being fostered in Annapolis, Md thru DASH Rescue.) ~ 15lbs, 2 years, male/neutered, red smooth doxie, Heartworm negative (thankfully) & up to date on vaccines ___ sassy little man!Dapple - Transported. 12-14-14 (being fostered in Annapolis, Md thru DASH Rescue.)is a black and tan dachshund with some dapple coloring, and also 2 years old, 14 lbs. female/spayed, silver-dapple smooth doxie.Phillie - Transported. 5-2-15 A 12 yr old, sweet brown, smooth dog, to foster care because his parents "have 3 small kids and can't handle the dog." We brought him from White Marsh, MD to Alexandria, VA. (Going from NJ to TN where he is being fostered through Coast to Coast Dachshund RescueHarry -Transported. 5-23-15 the black and tan/dapple, 6 year old dachshund from White Marsh, MD to foster mom, April, southeast of Washington, DC- Trooper- Transported. 6-12-15 - This brown dapple, 2 year old dachshund came from a kill shelter in Alabama and was headed to NJ to a foster home thru DASH rescue. Milo and Max 8-2-15 Fostered and Transported *Adopted 9-1-15* This senior pair of Dachshunds came from a divorced home in Indiana and were transported to us through Ohio and our friend Scott "Bear" Elliott and many others. Milo was fostered by our friend April.. and we fostered Max and our friend April fostered Milo. They were BOTH adopted by Cindy! Adoption Story: http://tinyurl.com/osz2px8Oscar - Transported 11-21-15 - This precious senior 9 year old mini-Dachshund was given up by his family because their daughter "developed allergies." (The girl should've taken Benadryl and dealt with it). We were the first transporter and it was a heart-wrenching event. Story: http://tinyurl.com/zzjp9lnOtis -Home Visit - March 2016 - We did a home visit to Nancy who adopted this handsome little Dachshund Mix through Dachshund Rescue of No. America.Cleveland and Tommy- Sept. 2016 - We had these guys overnight a couple of nights, and drove Tommy to York, PA for his foster home. We also got Cleveland to his foster home in Maryland. Both were 5 yr old, sweet, red smooth Dachshunds. Coco and Hansel - Feb. 2017 - We drove up to Delaware together to get them. and then wound up later transporting them locally to their forever home. Winnie and Tuck - Spring 2017- We placed this mom and son in forever homes in Virginia and Maryland.Hercules - July 2017 - He didn't go through the rescue because we learned of him through a friend of a friend, and our friends Bob and Arlene were seeking to adopt, so they did!